The Beatitudes: Matthew 5:3-10

Hello Sweet Christian hearts!  Let me first say that I have been remiss in posting as my hubby has been having a round of tests for seeing just where he is in 6 yrs. of fighting Multiple Myeloma so I have been busy with him.  Of course tests are at several different locations and because he takes medication, I drive him.  He has had much nausea of late and it is not fun to feel sick all the time as you well know.  But I must share with you the power of prayer.  Yesterday before leaving for a PET scan, Hubby had been nauseated to the point that he did not think he could go for the test.  I posted the need for prayer and about 18 people were praying for him.  He decided that he wanted to try going and he was able to tolerate the 2 hours of testing and a blood draw and was not nauseated the rest of the day!  God is so good and the friends who were praying believe in prayer!

Okay, having said that, I still get the news letter from my home church back in Auburn NY after 22 yrs. of living in SC.  In this month's letter, there was a great item on the Beatitudes, I feel it is worth sharing.

The Beatitudes, the Message  by Fred B. Craddock, Christian Century, Jan. 25, 1990
You're blessed when you're at the end of your rope.  With less of you, there is more of God and His rule.
You're blessed when you feel you've lost what is most dear to you.  Only then can
    you be embraced by the One most dear to you.
You're blessed when you're content with just who you are--no more, no less.  That's
    the moment you find yourselves proud owners of everything that can't be bought.
You are blessed when you've worked up a good appetite for God.  He's food and
    drink in the best meal you'll ever eat.
You're blessed when you care.  At the moment of being 'care-full,' you find yourselves
     being cared for.
You're blessed when you get your inside world, your mind and heart, put
     right.  Then you can see God in the outside world.
You're blessed when you can show people how to cooperate instead of compete or
     fight.  That's when you discover who you really are, and your place in God's
     family.
You're blessed when your commitment to God provokes persecution.  The
      persecution drives you even deeper into God's kingdom.

    "Very important, then, is the recognition that the beatitudes appear at the beginning of the Sermon on the Mount before a single instruction is given, before there has been time for obedience or disobedience.  If the blessings were only for the deserving, very likely they would be stated at the end of the sermon, probably prefaced with the conditional clause, "if you have done all these things".  But appearing at the beginning, they say that God's favor precedes all our endeavors.  In fact, all our efforts at kingdom living are in response to divine grace, motivated by "because of,"not "in order to."  Some Christians are so anxious to rush to the Sermon on the Mount's moral and ethical instructions that they overlook the initial word that God's blessing is the context for all our behavior and relationships."

   I hope you enjoyed this message as much as I did.  I felt it was pretty straight forward and easy to understand.  I have always loved the Beatitudes and among many, one of my favorite chapters in the Bible.
Please come again soon and invite a friend to come and hear God's word.  If you found a blessing in what you read, please leave a comment for us.  And visit our other sites with wildlife pictures and God's natural wonders...

♥KERRIE♥
My Christian heart to yours....

SERMON ON THE MOUNT

Can you just imagine how exciting it must have been to see and hear the Savior preach??  Out in the open under the heavens, the crowds came to hear the Good News he offered!  I like to picture him when I walk along the beach, praying to the masses.
  When we first moved to SC and the ocean was so near, there were some net fisherman who walked nets (seines) out into the sea or they would drive a small tractor out dropping the nets as they made a semicircle back to shore.  Then by hand, the men would pull the net into shore again and it would be full of fish!  I immediately thought that I was witnessing the way the nets brought the fish in the bible, pulled by hand by the men.  Awesome!  And I like picturing that Christ could stop and preach at any chosen spot and the people would come.

Matthew 4:5 "Seeing the crowds, he went up on the mountain, and when he sat down his deiciples came to him.  And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying:

3 Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

4 Blessed are those that mourn, for they shall be comforted.  (God will lay his healing hand on your shoulder when you are mourning and comfort you with his word and his gentle presence)

5 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied. 

7 Blessed are the merciful, for they shall abtain mercy.  (When we show others mercy, we are acting as Jesus would.  Despite the station in life, all persons are worthy of your mercy and God will also show you mercy)

8 Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.

9 Blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called the Sons of God. (This day is Veteran's Day when we honor all of those who have served their country in the past but also now and in the future to keep America free and may we continue to have religious freedom!! God Bless our troops!)
 
10 Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."

   Later on, Jesus said:
14 "You are the light of the world.  A city set on a hill cannot be hid.

15 Nor do men light a lamp and put it under a bushel, but on a stand, and it gives light to all the house. 

16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven."

   We may not be able to stand on a hill and spread God's word to the crowd but it does not matter when we can preach by our demeaner, by our face, by our posture, by our attitude towards others.  You never know who may be moved by your Christian light shining in all that you do.  Your smile, your warmth, your caring nature can nourish those around you who thirst for knowledge, who will also want that special something that shines through you to them--"Blessed to be a Blessing!"
   Celebrate Verteran's Day in remembrance of all who served, are serving or will serve in the future.  Pray for World Peace.  There is nothing you cannot accomplish today or face with God at your side.
                   Thanks for visiting and do come again soon.  If you have prayer concerns, please state in your comment or e-mail and I will add the names to our prayer list.
                           ♥Kerrie♥
                      My heart to yours...

There will be peace in the valley for me one day.....

No sadness, no sorrow, no trouble I see, There will be

peace in the valley for me!